When should I upgrade to a concert guitar?

Before looking at makers or specifications, try finishing this sentence: “I would like my next guitar to…”

Perhaps you would like a melody to sing more clearly above its accompaniment. You may want a wider contrast between quiet and strong passages, or a guitar that responds more readily to a gentle touch.

Comfort can be just as important. Perhaps your current guitar never quite feels right in your hands, and a more suitable neck profile would make a real difference to your enjoyment.

The answer can also be straightforward: you would like a sound that gives you more pleasure, or a little more volume in reserve when the music calls for it.

These are useful starting points because they give a comparison a purpose. “A better guitar” is a broad ambition; knowing what you would like to hear or feel makes choosing much easier.

Choose a few short passages you know comfortably. Include a melody, some accompaniment and a phrase with a change in dynamics. You do not need difficult repertoire to make a useful comparison.

Where possible, play the alternatives alongside your current guitar. Listen for the differences that matter to you rather than trying to notice everything at once. Can you shape a melody more naturally? Does the sound change more readily with your touch? Do familiar chords and stretches feel more comfortable?

Give yourself time to settle into each instrument. A striking first impression is worth noticing, but so is how much you enjoy playing after the initial excitement.

Ask yourself whether the differences are enjoyable, useful and worth the cost. Hearing someone else demonstrate the instruments can help, but give your own experience of playing them equal attention.

You do not have to “earn” a fine guitar by reaching a particular grade or standard. A well-matched instrument can be part of your development, rather than simply a reward for it.

More comfortable playability can reduce unnecessary physical effort, while a sensitive response makes the effects of changes in touch easier to hear. A wider tonal palette gives you more possibilities to explore as your musical understanding develops.

You do not need to master those subtleties before buying the guitar. Learning to use them can be part of the pleasure of owning it.

If your current guitar feels comfortable and gives you the sounds you want, keeping it is a sensible choice.

Equally, enjoying another instrument is a valid reason to consider a change, provided the purchase fits comfortably within your budget. The decision does not need to be justified by an examination, a performance or a problem with the guitar you already own.